whiting



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

` E. WRITING.

GAR AXLE B0X.

NQ. 274,159. Patented Ma,1'.20, 1883.

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6% INVENTOR;

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l/Ma? N. PETERS. lPhnto-Lilhulr'llphef, Wnhlugion, D. C. l

(No Modl.) 3 Sheets-Shet 2.

lE. WHITING- GAR AXLB Box. l No. 274,159. l Patented MaLZO, 1883.

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` INVENTOR; WITNESSES; /x

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(N-dmodel.) l 3 sheets-sheet a. E. WRITING.

\ GAR AXLE -BOXl No. 274,159. Patented Mar. 20, 1883.

INVENTOB;

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"PATENT y ELEANOR VVHITING, O F BROOKLYBQNEVV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPHINE MARY SMITH, OF SAME PLAGE.

CAR-AXLE BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming `part of Letters Patent No. 274,159, dated March 20, 1883,

Application filed January 29, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, ELEANOR WHrrINct, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident ot' Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Axle Boxes, ot' which the following is a specification. My invention relates to that class of boxes for the axles of cars and 4similar vehicles, ro' known as self-Oilers, the supply t' oil for lubricating the journal being retained inthe box, which is closed perfectly tight.

TheV novel characteristics of my invention relate in general to means whereby the button formed on the end of the axle-spindleand the usual dust-excluders are entirely avoided. The `wearing-surface of the spindle or journal is also made readily removable, and the boxing or cap capable of being turned over when worn 2o out on one side, so as to present a new wearing-surface. Other novel features exist in the peculiar construction of the shell or housing and `other parts ofthe box, and in the saddle, all of which will be more particularly hereinafter described. t i

In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure l is a longitudinal ver'- tical section of the box and its saddle in the platte of the line 1 1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a 3o front elevation or end view of the box. Fig. 3 is a plan of the bottom ofthe box. Fig. 4 is an end view ofthe boxing. Fig. 5 is a view of the bearing washer or plate. Fig. G is a crosssection taken on `line 6 6 in Fig. 1.

A represents the shell or housing of the box, which is cylindrical at its front or outer end, and provided with an inturned tlange, a., at its inner end. Through the inner end of the shell the spindle br bearing end B of the car-axle 4o enters. y

On the inner face of ange a is secured, by screws or rivets b b, a bearing-plate, O, of brass orother suitable material. This plate is shown detached in Fig. 5, wherein it will be seen that the aperture in it is oblong, and that its body is wider at the sides than at the top and bottom. The purpose of thiswill be set forth hereinafter. The aperture at the inner end of the shell A, circumscribed by the flange a, 4has 5o the sameshape and is of the same size as the opening in this plate C.

`screwing in the cap F. This cap may be pro- On thespindle or bearing end ofthe axle is snugly fitted a thimble, D, preferably of hardcned steel, and this thimble is truly turned or dressed. This thirnble has a ring-like flange, c, and itis secured to the axle-spindle B by screws Vd d, which pass through its closed outer Y end into the end of the spindle,or by similar means. In the flange c are oil-holes e, as seen in Figs. l and 6.

E is the boxing, which is cylindrical in outline exteriorly, and arranged to slip into the shell A, which is cylindrical interiorly. The box is also nearly cylindrical interiorly, and is provided with oil-passagesff, (see Fig. 4,) in the nature of longitudinal lutes or grooves extending frotn end to end of the" boxing. The thimble D lits into this boxing, as indicated b v the dotted lines in Fig. 4, and the sides of the boxing are dressed out to forni vertical .7o. planes at g g, which touch the sides ot' the thimble D tangentally, as shown. The boxing is provided at its front end with slots or` recesses h lt', the upper one of which is engaged by a detent screw or pin, ,which passes through 75 the shell A, and serves to keepthe boxm from turning in the shell and with the axle.

F is a screw-cap or closing-cap for the end of the housing or shell. This cap is provided with a tubular part, L, which is exteriorly screw-threaded at l, and arranged to screw in-to the mouth oi the housing to close the same. This tubular part k is also provided exteriorly with a packing-ring,j, which bears against the inner wall ot' the housing, as shown in Fig. l, so as to form an oil-tightjoint. When the cap F is screwed in, the inner end ot' the tubular part 7c impinges against the end ot' the boxing E, and by reaction on the housing causestheange c on the thimble to be clamped snugly between the inner end of the boxing and the washer C. Thus all the parts are snugly drawn together, the wear on the end ot' theboxing being at any time taken up by vided wlth recesses or sockets m m., to receive the prongs of a forked wrench for screwing in the cap.

Having described the general construction of my box, I will now proceed to describe how itis put together. y

The shell A, with the bearing washer or plate O only attached to it, is slipped over the end of the axle-spindle B. The thimble D is now inserted through the open end of the shell and slipped over and secured to the spindle, as shown in Fig. 1. rIhe boxing E is now inserted in the same way, and the screw or pin t' inserted through the shell to assure the proper position of the boxing and prevent it from turning. The screw-cap F is now screwed in until it presses firmly upon the boxing, whereby the parts are drawn up snugly together, as shown in-Fig. 1-that is to say, cap F presses on the boxing E-the boxing presses on the flange c of thilnble D, and this liange presses on the bearing `washer or plate C on the shell. It will readily be understood how, by screwing down the cap, any looseness may be taken up and all end play avoided.

rIhe oil for lubrication is inserted at the hole stopped b vscrew t, or at a stoppered aperture provided for the purpose, as desired, and fills the well Il, i'lowing back through the channelsror liutesfin the boxing, and thus around the`thimble or bearing-sleeve D. Oil flows through the holes e in the flange c on the thimble in amount sutlicient to lubricatethe face of the washer C. There will be a return tlow or circulation of oil to some extent from the inner end of the box to the well H, and back again under the boxing E, as there will usually be a capillary space between said boxing and the shell.

' As the boxing E wears away at the top, where it rests on the thimble or journal, the housing A will gradually settle down, and in order to permit it to do this without interfering with the Bange 0 on the thiinble D, I pro vide a recess, q, (see Figs. 1 and 6,) in the housing for thc said an'ge to take into. After thel boxing has been worn out on one side it may be turned over or inverted, when the screw t' will take into the recess lt', instead of It, as shown in the drawings. When this side of the boxing becomes worn out in turn, the old boxing may bereplaced kby a new one. `It is because of this movement or displacement of theV shell or housing that we make the aperture in the ring or washer C and theinner end ofthe shell oblong, as shown, and it is also for this reason that the top and bottom sides of the. washer C are made narrower than the face of the hange on the end of the thimble D. l

In the drawings (see Fig. 1) the parts are represented as newly litted and unworn. It' the washer() were made wider at the top than the flange 0,it would project above said liange intothespace g,andashoulderinightbe formed on it by wear,and this shoulder would prevent thc descent of the shell as the boxing wears away. I do not, however, limit myself to the particular external contour of the bearingwasher; nor do I limit myself to making it of Iany particular metal or attaching it in any particular way to the flange on the shell. A,

I will now describe the exterior surface of the shell or housing A and the peculiar construction of the saddle. At its middle, where the saddle takes over it, the shell has a somewhat rectangular cross-section. a plane, and on this plane rest-s a bearing-plate, s, which is secured to the crossbar t of the saddleIby means oftenons thereon,- which pass up through or into said bar, as shown. The cheeks a a of the housing are beveled at c c, leaving a narrow plane surface, z, (sec Fig. 3,) to impinge against plane-surfaced projections t0 on the housing, which stand outI a little from the lateral faces of the housing where the saddle embraces it. The housing has a little lateral play between the cheeks ofthe saddle, and this play allows the-box sufficientfreedoin for lateral oscillation. g

To prevent the saddle I from lifting off the box, and also to prevent the latter from sliding too much in the saddle, l provide thel shell of the box with two abntinents or shoulders, a" x, which extend across its under side or bottom, and have convex faces y y, as best shown in Fig. 3. Between the abutmentsar is arranged a latch bar, J, hinged in one cheek a of the saddle, and provided with a spring latch or bolt,.c, which is arranged to enterinto and en gage a latch-socket in the other cheek of the saddle. This latch is provided with a suitable spring to throw it out, as indicated in dotted lines, and a pin, ct, which plays in a slotin the latchbar, for manipulating the latch. The space `between the convex faces of the projections w on the shell is a little wider than the latch-bar, (see Figs. l and 3,) so as to allow a little longitudinal play ofthe axle-box, and the convex faces permit of some lateral oscillation or rocking in the saddle.

I dispense with any extraneous means for excluding dust and I ireventing the escape ot' oil from the box, as the only means of access to the box at its inner end is between the plate or washer O and the Hange c on the thimble, and this joint will be kept. perfectly tight and oiled, so that no dust can possibly get through; nor can oil escapethereat, partly owing to the tight-ness of the joint and partly to the centrifugal tendencyof the rotating liange c, which will throw the oil outward.

The tubular part lc of the cap F performs two ,functionsf Its principal function is to serve as an intermediary between the cap proper and the boxing E, whereby the screwing down of the cap acts upon the boxing, and yet a si ace, H, is left for the oil. Its secondary function is to provide a packing,j, to prevent the oil from working out through the screw of the cap. Another form or arrangement of the packing might, however, be provided, or the tightness of the screw be relied on to prevent leakage. It is not absolutely necessary that the tubular part; lc be connected in any -way to the cap F,

but when constructed as described the un screwing ofthe cap draws out the part c.- It' the part k be not connected with the cap, a packing between its outer end and the cap should be provided.

I make the boxing E double, as described, in order to gota more perfect bearin gall around The top t" is IOO on the flan gc c of the thimble, and for conven. ience also; but a bearing-cap or half-boxing might be used with good results. Such a halfboxing would be produced by simply splitting boxing E in a plane passing horizontally through its axis, as indicated byline l1 b in Fig. 4.

I `employ a washeror plate, C, of brass, by preference, inorder that its contact with the steel of the langec mayr produce the minimum of friction, and also that it may be replaced readlly when worn out; but it is obvious that this washer may be a part of the shell A, and not a separate attached part. i

In order that the cap F may be screwed into the housing tightly, its outer periphery might be made polygonal, like a nut; but, to prevent it from being removed too readily by unauthorized persons, I prefer to provide it with the sockets m mi, to receive the forks or prongs of a special wrench, as before stated.

A screw, n, may be arranged in the lower part of the housing,'as shown in Figs. l and 3, to draw off the oil, but this is notnecessary. I may also employ a set-screw, 0, to hold the cap F inplace, and this may be used in lieu of or together with the screw lfor this purpose.

In lieu of employing a thimble with a iiange at its end,the liange might be arranged at some intermediate point on the thimble; or, it' it were desired to dispense Vwith the thimhle, the flange c might be in the nature of'a collar secured directly to the axle-spindle.

Having thus described my invention, I claimy 1. An axle-box comprising a shell or housing provided with a cap to close its outer end and an abutting liange at its inner end, a thimble which tits over the axle and is secured thereto, and i which is provided with a flange at its inner end arranged to abut against the iiange on the housing, a boxing provided with internal grooves monntedpon the axle-thimble and arranged to abut against the flange thereon at its inner end, means, substantially as described, for preventlng the boxing from turning with the axle, and an intermediary part arranged between the outer end of the `boxing a-nd the cap proper, which closes the outer end of the housing, all arranged substantially as set forth. l

'2. Thecombination, with the housing and box ngof an axle-box, and the axle-spindle, of aithimble, D, arranged to fit snugly on the said spindle, but so as to be readily removable therefrom, said thimble'being provided with a tlange, c, adapted to be clamped between the boxing and the housing, and with means for securing said thimble removably to the spindle,substantially as set forth. l

3. 'Ihe combination, with the shell or housing constructed cylindrical interiorly, of the boxing E, arranged to be turned halt' -way around in the said housing when worn on one side, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination, with the housing, of t'he screw-capF with a tubular part, k, the boxing E, and the flanged thimble D, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially asset forth.

5. The combination, with the housing, the flanged thimble, and the boxing, of the cap F, provided with a packing,j, and said cap arranged to screw into the housing, and all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the housing provided with a ange, et, and recess q, of the washer or plate C, constructed and shaped as shown, the boxing E, provided with flutes or grooves for the passage of the oil, and the thimble D, provided with a flange, c, having apertures, all constructed and arrangedto operate substantially as set forth.

7. A boxing, E, for an axle-box, constructedv cylindrical exteriorly and nearly cylindrical interiorly, and provided with flutes or grooves f and plane vertical interior faces g, .substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with the housing having a plane surface on its top and con vex-faced abutments .r on its bottom, of the saddle I, provided with a bearing-plate to rest upon the top of thehousi'ng, and a latch-bar, J, hinged -in the saddle and arranged to engage the space between the abutments w :l: on the housing, snbstantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination, with the saddle I, provided with the latch-bar, and the bearing-plate y s, of the housing provided with a plane top surface, with abutments w a; on its bottom and with projecting faces w on its sides, substantially as and. for the purposes set forth.

y, 10. As a means for securing an axlle -box in its saddle, whereby the saddle is prevented from lifting off the box and the latter is limited in its longitudinal movement in the saddle, a latch-bar hinged in one pendent cheek ot' thesaddle, and provided with asliding bolt or latch arranged to engage a latch-socket in the other cheek of the saddle, and said latchy bar arranged to engage a cross-recess ,in the bottonrof the housing, substantially as herein set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed ELEANOR WHITING.

Witnesses HENaY CoNNE'rT, ARTHUR U. FRAsER.

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